Men's Basketball Preview: Albany State
For the peaks and valleys that have been the 2016-17 season for the Miles men's basketball team, the journey that begins Tuesday in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament can provide the Golden Bears with a ticket to their desired destination: the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament.
To get there, Miles will have to win four games in five days, starting with a matchup against Albany State at 7:45 p.m. at the Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham CrossPlex. After an 0-15 start to the season, a 7-5 finish helped the team earn the Western Division No. 3 seed, which set up the battle with the Golden Rams, the No. 6 seed from the Western Division. The winner of the game will face Clark Atlanta, the No. 2 seed from the East, Thursday at 7:45 p.m.
Here's a breakdown of the Miles-Albany State matchup:
Records: Albany State 10-18 overall, 5-12 SIAC; Miles 7-20 overall, 7-9 SIAC
Season series: Miles 2-0 (
91-73 on Jan. 28;
64-61 on Feb. 11)
Top performers in season series:
Golden Rams - Randy McClure 16 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 3 bpg and Khaliq Hughes, 10.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.5 apg
Golden Bears -
Shaquille Cook, 14 ppg, 9 rpg,
Henrique Cistrunk, 10 ppg, 8.5 rpg, andÂ
Sheldon Wright, 10.5 ppg, 5-11 3-pointers
Record in last 10: Albany State 1-9, Miles 6-4
Last meeting in SIACÂ Tournament: 2013, Albany State 67, Miles 63
